Fury of the Diviner
by Mello-Drama-Reborn
Summary: In the world of Snow White, a knight lives a peaceful life serving a king that he trusts more than any other. But this king has a darkness in his heart, a darkness that will change the lives of Isa and his friend forever. An alternate origin story for Isa and Lea and their transformation into Nobodies.
1. Chapter 1- Before Night

_Authors Note:_This is a story I wrote for my 8th grade Language Arts final. It doesn't 8th grade level suck, but it is old.  
I came up with this idea just as Birth by Sleep was being announced, and finished just before (or just after?) the designs of Isa and Lea were announced. I do not dispute the canon designs and stories of Isa and Lea, but I'm still proud of the version I made before I knew the truth, and I'd be happy if others could perhaps appreciate it for what it is, an inspired yet original story. Thank you, and enjoy!

* * *

The banging of metal heels on stone echoed throughout the castle's walled garden. Startled from their perch, a trove of brilliant white doves lifted off of the stone wall, blossom covered vines twirling around its supports. The usual beauty of the garden was ignored, beautiful spring ferns and fauna passed without a glance. A lavender cape whipped out of sight,momentum flinging it around a corner. The scenery changed from the white, fern covered stone of the outer garden to the palace's gray interior, the loud banging of steel boots becoming a steady clacking against the polished floor. Racing past several intricate stained glass windows, the thundering footsteps finally slowed near the end of the hall.

Aware of the authority he was facing, the knight took a deep breath before rounding the last corner separating him from the throne room. He made his way across the spacious, well-lit chamber in the most dignified manner he could muster. Stopping at the feet of the great, golden throne, he bowed deeply before the King of the castle, rising to address the man standing beside him only after he was sure the sincerity of his gesture was clear. Or at least, that's what he hoped it looked like. In reality, he was actually using that time to catch his breath, hiding all evidence of his previous flight.  
With that done, he turned to the other knight, each word spoken with even authority, echoing slightly in the large room.

"You need not stand there any longer. The responsibility of guarding the king falls to me now."  
The young knight currently standing guard replied with a clear voice; one that could not be called childish, yet had not yet been touched by the rough tones of a man.  
"I needn't dismiss myself yet, if there's something you still need to do. I wouldn't mind staying another shift."  
Face brightening, he leaned closer to the other knight.  
"Really, you'd actually take over my shift?" He attempted to stop the joy in his voice from reaching the old king's ears. "That's fine with me! I have better things to do than stand next to the old goat until my legs go numb!" A playful smile formed on the others face.

"I figured that since you'd goof off anyway, I might as well give you permission." He winced as the other playfully jabbed at his side with a plated elbow.  
"Well, Isa, maybe _I_ figured that since you like the guy so much," the knight mimicked, "you'd do a better job!"  
"You best run off before I change my mind!"  
With a quick thanks, the knight turned to leave, mumbling something about a woman in the garden, his running figure mirrored on the reflective gray floor.

Isa watched him leave from his position beside the king. he stood proudly, the royal crest adorning the shining silver chest plate of his armor. An extremely large, wide-bladed claymore lay effortlessly across his back, covered by the lavender of his head knight cape that split at his knees. Above the cape's tall collar, Isa's handsome face was framed by a slender skull; slim nose and a gleaming pair of deep-set eyes were supported by his squared chin, their golden orbs so brimming with life that their narrow sockets seemed hardly able to contain them. His blue hair was so dark it was almost black and tied tightly behind his head in a long braid that rested on his shoulders. Despite being considerably younger than most of his rank, Isa stood almost equal in height to his fellow knights, being exceptionally tall for his seventeen years.

Isa turned to look down at the king. It was he who had helped young Isa, a lowly field boy, when he had returned home from the forest to find his small cottage in memory held no sadness for Isa, as it marked the day when he had met the king. His majesty had offered Isa his hand, providing him with one of the most honorable professions, supplying him a permanent place in royal society that guaranteed him a bright future. The king had given Isa everything he had ever wanted, and the person he respected more than any other.

The King was a tall, jolly looking man. His wide jaw combined with his short, thick, curly brown hair gave his face the impression of a square. The shadows cast by his thick eyebrows couldn't extinguish the sparkle in his brown eyes, dark and deep like the bottom of a great well, so you could hardly see his pupils. The king looked powerful, hands laying against the curled arm rests of his throne, whose back was adorned with a beautiful fan of purple peacock feathers.

Isa smiled fondly at the King. When he'd first arrived in the castle, the obligation he'd felt to the king had been immense. After nine years, that gratitude had not declined an inch and, always determined to live up to it, Isa had spent an infinite number of moments identical to now, standing beside the throne, reluctant to leave the king's side. Lost in his thoughts, Isa's eyes wandered about the room, resting on the beams of golden light cast by the rows of windows that lined the halls. He looked distractedly between the other windows, suddenly aware of the time. Glancing back to the king, a pair of brown eyes rose to meet his.

"Go on, Isa. You've already done more than enough for today, and it's obvious that you have other things to do. Meanwhile, there are plenty of other knights more than eager to take your place, if a certain mad dash through the castle is any indication." Isa thought there was a hint of laughter hidden in the darkness of those eyes. "We mustn't let them get lazy, Isa." Isa agreed, laughing as he ran off in the direction of the patio.

Miles above ground, a set of glass double doors opened into the patio. The round stone platform jutted out from the castle wall into the open air, casting shadows over a row of gargoyles below. Walking to the edge, Isa leaned against the rough concrete railing, admiring the breathtaking view. The jem-rich mines of the mountains towered impassibly at the edge of the horizon above the vast expanses of densely packed trees of Quaint Forest, which stopped abruptly behind wooden fences that bordered the far fields of Peaceful Village. The castle rose defensively over it's people, the great moat that separated them sparkling with sunlight.

"There he is, Isa, high knight of the royal castle, the king's pet." The familiar voice breaking apart his thoughts, Isa realized that he'd been too fixated on the scenery to notice the glass doors of the balcony opening behind him. He now turned to face its owner.  
"Having a low rank that requires you to stand guard outside the gates all morning is no reason to be bitter, Lea, and it's certainly no reason to keep me waiting." Lea laughed as he walked up the the railing beside Isa, giving a quick glace to the landscape before hoisting himself onto the railing.  
"Not everyone enjoys taking extra shifts, you know. The sun turns armor into an oven, and I have to stay out longer because there's some disturbance stalking outside the castle walls, and most of the guys are out on patrol looking for it!" Lea shut his eyes against the rays of the setting sun, sighing dramatically. "And as soon as my shift ends, I have to come back out here to meet you!" He kicked his legs though the air, the sunset reflected off the many plates of his armor.  
"You do know that's dangerous, don't you?" Lea turned to Isa, his expression of mock exhaustion quickly replaced by a large grin. He extended an outreached hand, offering it to the young knight.  
"Of course I do, but that hasn't stopped us before, has it?"  
"I know," Isa lifted himself over the railing, leaving Lea's hand hanging, empty, "every day at sunset,"  
"where we can feel bigger than the mountains." Lea finished, pushing Isa with his ignored hand so he struggled to remain balanced. "Still, you hear a lot at the gates. Recently rumor has it that the king hasn't got what it takes to lead a kingdom anymore."  
"Who are they to judge his majesty, after all he's done for them!?" Isa's hand unconsciously strayed to the kilt of his large claymore.  
"Hey, calm down! I'm only the messenger; don't go swinging your sword at me!" Isa took a slow breath, returning his hand to the stone railing. Lea relaxed and thoughtlessly continued.

"If you think they gave the King a bad rap, you should hear what they're saying about the queen!" Lea talked excitedly, thrusting his arms forward as he spoke. "So apparently she's obsessed with being the most _beautiful woman in the land_ or something, so some people are saying she married the king just the keep an eye on the late queen's pretty princess; and as she's become more and more beautiful, the queen has become more and more jealous, and now she's planning on murdering her!" Isa could not believe what he was hearing.  
"Kill the young princess? That's preposterous! Besides, she's the king's daughter; he'd have her head!"  
"No no, it gets better, these folks have got all their bases covered!"  
"As if I want to hear the lecherous gossip you hear at the castle walls." Lea was laughing at the absurdity of what he was saying, and Isa wished he'd stop, knowing full well that there was no stopping Lea when he was having fun.  
"You see, it was no wonder that the king remarried, with his wife gone and the _fairest in the land_ making herself known. However..." Lea was almost breaking into giggles, obviously enjoying himself, "however, the queen is also a _witch_!" Lea had to stop now, the strength of his laughter making it impossible for him to continue.

Isa was glad for the rest. Lea's story, no matter how absurd, was making him uncomfortable; especially now that that subject had turned to the queen. Isa had already been joined the castle's ranks when the king decided to remarry, and he was ashamed to admit that he wasn't all that happy for him. Something about the queen had always made him nervous, though he doubted it was as serious as black magic.  
", she's been accused off conducting witchcraft in the dungeons, tainting his heart," Lea's voice drew him out of his thoughts, and hard as he tried he could not will himself to ignore his friend. "She cast her spell on him; bending the king to her will and bringing the downfall of the kingdom in the process. So even if she did kill the princess, the king wouldn't raise a hand to stop her!"  
Isa glared at Lea, who struggled to remain balanced on the railing, his laughter having started up again.  
"I don't see how you can find this so funny. What you're saying is downright treason." Lea saw Isa's face and worked to regain his composure.  
"Look, you're taking this way too seriously. Like I said, pure insanity." Lea leaned back, letting the rays of the falling sun warm his face.

"And anyway, why would you want to kill someone because they're beautiful? I say, let'em have kids to pretty up the population; heaven knows some of us would like a sight for sore eyes." He straightened again, putting a hand on his chin and grinning thoughtfully. "In fact, if I were to hook up with the up-in-coming fairest, we'd probably have the perfect children." Isa guffawed, flinging a hand over his mouth to suppress unsuccessfully restrained laughter.  
"You? The princess? I should you locked up in the dungeons for that ridiculous idea, pedophile." Lea's eyes widened in mock horror.  
"The princess? I was talking about you!"  
"You sick little-!" Isa punched Lea in the arm, bowing his head to hide his flushed cheeks.  
"That's right- you need to stay though to make sure that _witch_ doesn't get you! Hair black as night, eyes gold as the sun," Lea paused dramatically, lifting Isa's chin so he could stare into his eyes. "and cheeks as pink as pansies!" A loud clang rang through the air as another punch hit Lea's armor plating. "Okay, I get it! Can't talk about that either." Lea gave him a smile full of laughter, one that was impossible not to imitate on sight. "So, how about we talk about the most wonderful thing in the world? Me." Isa smirked.  
"You?" he echoed, "who about 'face like a pig'?"  
"Hey!" But Lea's complaints were drowned out by Isa's haughty laughter.

In truth, Lea was very handsome. A year older than Isa, Lea wore the same silver armor as he did, without the lavender cape of a head knight. His hair flowed behind him in a golden wave, blended with all the colors of a flame. His lips always seemed to be parted in a teasing grin, a deviant twinkle sparkling inside his striking green eyes.

"Sure, you're pretty- ow- but cut a guy some slack!" Lea's face was turned into a mock pout, quickly replaced by hs favorite grin. "Remember who always gets asked out at the balls?"  
"That's only because you stand guard right where they come in- which is why you turn them all down, right?"  
"Oh, I've accepted a few of the prettier ones..."  
"We'll you're not supposed to! You're on duty!" Lea sighed.  
"You've always been like that, endlessly devoted. It seems like you haven't left the king's side since you got here- how long ago?"  
"Nine years. I was eight."  
"Eight!" Lea flung his hands into the air, his feet still swinging back and forth so that his boots made a metallic thump on the worn stone banister.  
"We're supposed to be loyal; we're his subjects. Besides, I'm not with him now, am I?"  
"Yeah, and he probably needed a crowbar to pry you away. You go way beyond loyal, Isa." A strong wind blew across the knights' shining shoulder plates, blowing Isa's braid lazily across them. "It's getting pretty late, and my inside shift probably starts pretty soon. You coming in?" Lea offered his hand to Isa, and this time he took it, allowing the older knight to help him off the railing.  
"No, I won't be coming in quite yet actually."  
"Got a reason for that?" Isa considered Lea's question as he looked out into the now darkening sky.

"There's going to be a full moon tonight, and I'd like to at least catch a glimpse before I leave. I have a feeling it's light will shine down on many interesting things tonight."  
"Doesn't always? Night's a scary time." Lea turned towards the glass double doors, looking at him warmly from over his shoulder. "Well, don't stay out to late; you'll catch your death of cold." Isa nodded as Lea disappeared silently behind the glass.


	2. Chapter 2- The King

The king trudged down the dark halls of his castle, holding his pounding forehead. As it had nearly every day previous, his mind had spent the day in a restless state of turmoil, darkening his mood. He headed toward the room at the end of the hall, hoping he could remain undisturbed in the solace of his private chamber. Unfortunately, a guard was already stationed inside the doorway when he entered, and the king found himself unable to control his temper.

"Out! Do not come back in for any reason! I want to see no one, understand?" The guard quickly retreated out of the room, shutting the heavy doors behind him. Despite this, the king didn't feel relieved.  
He no longer felt fit to be in the presence of other people, perpetually tortured by guilt. Despite committing his crime years ago, despite doing everything he could to make redeem it, to make it right; the remains of his deed, like a scar, stayed with him, constantly reminding him of what he had done oh so long ago. Worse, it constantly mocked him, looking at him with such purity and trust, as if he had done nothing wrong, as if both tempting him and hating him for trying to convince himself that was true. It was driving him mad.

The night was making the king restless. In the morning it was bright and distracting, and the daily routines could bring him comfort. Now, in the silence, he felt as if he was being consumed by the darkness. he longed for sleep, but he doubted he could. He hadn't had a good night's sleep in days. In the darkness, all the familiar things that give security vanish. Familiar surroundings became unknown and treacherous. In the past, the king had attempted to navigate the small room using a candle, but the furniture only seemed to flee its light. Instead, he opened the window, letting the cold night air fill his lungs. The room was bathes in a soft glow, and the king found his eyes focusing where the moonlight danced across the glass of a sparkling, ornate case. In it was a an ancient sword, the one he had used in battles long ago, in some war long since won.

The king shook with an unknown excitement. He had not used the blade in years, yet looking at it now brought up something within him. In that moment, a shadow slipped over his heart, blanketing the wallow of his consciousness and revealing a way to give it rest.  
Glass shattered, the floor becoming a sea of shimmering shards underneath him. In his hands was the etched blade.

Soon, he would destroy the last remnant of his deed, and with it, rid himself of the memory.


	3. Chapter 3- Isa

Leaning against the stone railing of the patio, Isa looked out into the large moat, the dark water blanketed in a cool mist. The moon was large and full, bouncing light off the many silver plates of the knight's armor. Chill night air nipped at his exposed cheeks and beneath the overlapping panes of his armor, pulling him from his daze.

Isa stood alert. He had gotten lost in thought, not noticing noon turn into night, the moon having replaced the night in the now opaque sky. Realizing he'd stayed out much later than he'd intended, he abandoned his place at the railing, opening the doors that led back into the castle halls. The moment the doors opened, his ears were met with the sound of glass breaking.

His heart drumming a war beat in his chest, Isa flew through the double doors, his hand flying to the hilt of his great claymore as he pounded through the halls. Without a moment's hesitation, he threw open the double doors of the King's private chambers, his eyes darting around the room for signs of danger.

Surrounded in a sea of shining shards of glass, the kings trembling silhouette was a dark against the moonlight. Isa ran to his side, helping his onto into a chair.

"What happened? Are you hurt?" The king smiled at him, his eyes black against the darkness of the night.  
"I'm just fine. Actually, I'm glad you came, Isa. Close the door so that I may have a word with you." His smile was unreadable. "I know it's late, but rest assured, I'll be brief. You'll be able to find rest very soon." Isa obediently shut the door, returning to face his king. "Now, Isa, you've been here for a long time. Do like it here, in the castle?" The question caught Isa off guard, but the answer came easily.  
"Yes, and I'm forever grateful to you, you majesty. It''s because of you that I'm here." The king let out a low, dark chuckle.  
"Yes, because of me..."

A blade flashed from his cape. Reflex took over, Isa dodging so only the tip scratched across his face. Isa stumbled back, forcing himself not to take a fighting stance as he stared at the sword in the king's hands, the metal blade shining menacingly in the moonlight.  
"And while you've been here, have you ever wondered what _caused_ the fire that night, the night when I brought you here?"  
"I don't understand, why are you asking me these things?" He dodged another swipe, the arc scraping another diagonal across the bridge of his nose.

"I'm the one who brought you here, and now you will leave here by my hand as well!" The sword lunged at him again, Isa rolling quickly out of range. The king's voice became more demented and deranged, rising as he punctuated each word with another strike of his sword. "You've bored me through, with those eyes of yours! The same eyes that looked at me so happily, at a retched, retched man like me those long, long years ago!" By now his voice had risen into a demonic howl, heaving with loss of breath. "I've had nightmares of those eyes! Can you see, when you look at me, what I've done? Can you tell, by looking at me, that I'm a murderer?" Isa's entire body urged him to counter, but he wouldn't allow himself to draw his sword against the king. "Yes! I remember, all those years ago, watching you in fields. You were strong, such potential you had as a knight! It only made sense then, as you left to go into the woods, that you'd have a better home in the castle. It only made sense!" He was screeching his story in between breaths, "So I burned it, the little cottage, with everyone inside! And you thought I was a hero!" He stopped to catch his breath, hunched over with large gulps of air, starting to mingle with laughter.. "But I regret it! Oh yes, you are strong, but because of you I have seen hell, and in return, you will see oblivion! Die!"

The shock had Isa frozen, unable to move as the sword impaled his through his stomach, the force of the blow making him crumple to his knees. The king's voice was a hoarse whisper now."I did it..." He slowly withdrew the sword, letting Isa fall to the ground.  
"It's gone! the final reminder of my deed is gone, just like your parents and your little cottage! I will never have a sleepless night again!"

Isa fell to the floor, glass crunching under his weight. Slowly the king's voice faded along with his senses, his vision blurring until it was replaced by an odd scene.

A boy, no older than eight, toiled in his family's fields. A king, admiring the boy's strength as he walked beside the fence. Watching, as the boy worked the ground with his hoe. Watching, as the boy lifted his head, hearing a call from inside the farm house. Watching, as the boy lay down his tool for a basket. Watching, as he went into the forest to gather.

He saw a boy, no older than eight, emerging from the forest, into the heat, into the flames of a home he loved. A boy, crumpling to his knees, in tears, before these flames. Crying, as the only things he had, everything he ever loved, burned and died before him. A king, extending a hand, promising a new home where he'd have everything he needed. A safe future and many happy days.

He saw a king, watching a boy disappear into a forest, picking up a torch and setting it alight. A king, putting the torch to a small cottage. Watching it burn, waiting for the boy to return. Waiting to promise a new home where he'd have everything he needed. To become a knight. A safe future with him.

Isa lay against the floor, pain numbed, by now unable to hear the king's words even as they tore his world apart, only feeling a burning, intense hatred. It wrenched itself from his heart, searing his body in large, burning scars and entering his blood as the rest crumbled into nothing, ceasing to exist. His eyes filmed over, but as he died, his anger was the last to fade.


	4. Chapter 4- Lea

"I'm just fine. Actually, I'm glad you came, Isa. Close the door so that I may have a word with you. I know it's late, but rest assured, I'll be brief. You'll be able to find rest very soon."

Lea sat hunched in the corner of the dark hallway as Isa shut the door to the king's chamber. He was already in a sour mood after the king almost_ flung_ him out of the same room earlier that night. It wasn't exactly his cup of tea to be chewed out by the most powerful man in the kingdom. Now on top of that, his best friend apparently thought it was okay to run in like a maniac, throwing the guy on guard duty away like he was nothing. And he had warned him not to stay out too late.

He had been told not to come in, but the whole ordeal was making him anxious. He may not be as devoted as Isa, but it was still his job to make sure the king was safe, and knowing he was alone made a dozen images of the king in danger flash into Lea's mind. It took all his strength not to disobey orders when he heard glass breaking, the image of some rebel climbing through a broken window already in his head. Isa beat him to it, however, and apparently the 'no one is to enter' rule didn't apply to the king's pet.

Hearing only quiet murmurs from inside, Lea had just decided he was ready to get off the floor when a sudden, violent uproar made him recoil. Lea pressed himself against the cold stone of the castle, but even the walls tremored with the intensity. The air was filled with the harsh roar of the king's voice as well as another sound he knew well. The clamor of swords.  
And if Lea knew anything about Isa, he knew that he would never draw his sword against the king.

Lea forced himself to calm down, to ignore the crashing of swords and focus on the voices of Isa and the king. Lea's heartbeat instantly accelerated, calm lost as his brain quickly deciphered the anguished lament coming from inside. His eyes widened in shock as the onslaught intensified, pressing himself harder against the wall as he felt himself being mercilessly battered by the malice in his voice. He tried to shut his eyes and ignore what was going on around him, but his ears were now flooded by the king's ceaseless wail. His voice was a maddened flourish of hysteria between labored, frenzied breaths. The wail echoed off the walls and engulfed the atmosphere assaulting his brain and deafening his thoughts. Through the door Lea continued to be pummeled by the king's wrath inflicted on him with every wave of sound that beat the walls, smothering him. Through all this, Lea struggled to remember who it was that was being condemned.  
Isa hadn't spoken a single word.

And then it was silent.

With his terror fading, Lea was finally able to rebuild his nerve and shakily pick himself off the ground. While it was happening, Lea had been paralyzed by the sound, unable to act in order to prevent it or escape it.  
Slowly, his fear was replaced by suspicion as he ventured closer to the door. He had the authority to look inside, he reasoned with himself, since he'd been stationed there in the first place, it was his duty to find out what happened, that nothing inside could be more terrible than what he'd heard from outside.  
All the while, he hoped he wasn't too late.

Behind the door Lea found what he thought wasn't possible; a scene more terrifying than anything he experienced in the hall. The room was in ruin, furniture and decoration cast away in the sword's plight, burdens drove off by the recoil, blade driving itself into impeding debris, scattered wood splintered and scarred. The floor was covered in a carpet of shattered glass, distorting the light of the moon coming from the window. In the middle of it all stood the king, his shadow fractured in all directions, as if trying to plunge the room into darkness. Broken glass reflected moonlight onto his unhinged grin and cast villainous shadows under his eyes. Isa knelt in front of him, eyes wide and unfocused, the king's sword thrust through his stomach. An X was cut into his forehead, blood flowing unnoticed down his face.  
As Lea came in, the king slowly retracted the bloodied blade from his friend's chest, metal and silver grating against each other with a shrill cry. A family of lights disappeared under the knight's armor as Isa fell at the king's feet, crushing the twinkling shards underneath.

The king knelt beside him, putting down his sword and ignoring the blood that was beginning to flow from beneath the knight's body, running over the reflective shards to turn the ceiling crimson. He picked up the knight's chin, blood wetting his fingertips as he whispered in a sweet voice too quiet for Lea to hear, the king's face a mask of endearment.

Lea saw the king straighten, but he was unable to move. His legs were quaking and weak, weighed down by the steel boots of his armor. Frozen, he stood helpless to prevent the king's head from turning, unable to hide the doorway from his line of vision. Lea couldn't look away as their eyes locked. All of Lea's muscles stiffened as he looked into the king's eyes. They were black, glowing orbs, red and glowing where the blood-light hit them, maddened and insane. He no longer looked by the familiar monarch of the castle, as if he had been hit by natural light for the first time.

The king got up, looking deranged. As he brought his sword up with him, blood dripped from its blade. Still Lea could not move. only when he could feel the king's breath on his face did he find the strength to raise his sword.

"What are you going to do with that?" He cocked his head at an angle, cloaking half of his face in shadow. "Do you think you can kill me? I rule this entire kingdom! If I die here, you will be pinned for my murder, and his." He swept his arm towards Isa to illustrate his point. Lea stared at his corpse, lavender cape lying over him like a blanket, a red stain forming where the sword had gone through the middle of the royal emblem.  
"All the courts will rule in my favor. Whether you kill me or not, you will be blamed simply because you were here. However, if I were to intervene..." He trailed off, looking quizzically at Lea. Suddenly, his eyes flared with outrage and his fingers closed around Lea's cheeks, snapping his head upward so he was forced to meet the king's maddened gaze. "You have your sword drawn, don't you!? If you have the strength to stand up to me, look at me! I'm talking about your life! _Look at me!_"  
Panic seized Lea. He could feel Isa's blood on the king's fingers, his thumbs pressing hard under his eyes. His awareness of the liquid became intense so that it felt as if it was searing into his flesh. However much he tried to look away, his eyes were once again forced to stare into the intense glowing orbs of the king, tearing into him, shaking and demented, consuming his thoughts.

"Good."  
The king slowly released his grip and Lea's sword arm became limp, dropping to his side as his sword itself fell to the floor with a dull clang. The king bent down, picking up his own sword with a smug smile. The knight's face was that of someone in a trance.

_Good,_ the king thought, _you can die with the blood of your friend inside of you._

And so he thrust the sword into the knight's stomach, letting him fall to the floor to die alongside Isa.


	5. Chapter 5- Saix

Isa slowly left his dazed state, as if waking from a deep sleep, senses gradually returning to his waking consciousness. He lay still as mist receded behind his closed eyelids, evaluating himself as he waited for his mind to clear.

Inside, he stood separate from who he'd been before he awoke, as if the daze has detached him from himself. The memories that were slowly returning to Isa no longer seemed to belong to him. Only the idea that something within him was missing made it to the forefront of his mind, stuck fast. He felt incomplete somehow, as if someone had hollowed him out. More than anything, he felt _empty_. Nothing else seemed to exist in him, except that he was missing something, and without it he was empty.

By now his senses had returned, and Isa could feel the refreshing cold of due against his face, the moist night air wetting the grass he was laying on. He lifted his eyelids, filling his eyes with the dark, cloudless sky. Sitting up, Isa looked around at his surroundings. He sat at the edge of the Quaint Forest, a dense wall of trees casting their shadow over him. In the opposite direction, the moat that separated the two shores was covered in a thick mist, hiding the connecting bridge. Isa got to his feet, walking out of the shadows towards the misty shoreline. He raised his head to look over the mist, bathing his face in moonlight. Now that he was closer, Isa was just able to make out the tall towers of the castle on the other side of the moat.

Suddenly, his most recent memories flooded into his mind. Memories of a glass-covered floor, the king's sadistic grin, his thundering words and flying sword. Isa's iris's retracted, his muscles becoming tense and warm, and his breath started coming in heavy and fast.

_"It's gone! the final reminder of my deed is gone, just like your parents and your little cottage! I will never have a sleepless night again!"  
_A deranged smile spread across Isa's face._  
You may strike me down, but as long as my hatred exists, the memory will remain in my vile soul, and its thirst vengeance will sustain me until you've paid in blood for your deed, I'll make sure of it.  
_

His claymore appeared in his hands, the emptiness in him filling with the one thing he had that could not die. The thing that scarred his shell, with nothing left that could hide or restrain it. There was no love, grief, or confusion; only burning, unfaltering hatred. Isa reached out, destroying everything, his sight becoming rimmed with a red haze as trees blurred together in his speed. He dashed wildly, the great blade striking tirelessly at the grass, ripping it to shreds. He rampaged until there was nothing left for his sword to cut, throwing it away as he wrenched roots from the barren earth, charging low to the ground and uprooting any fauna that passed under his hands in an endless cycle of destroy, destroy, destroy. No matter how much damage he did, his anger did not wane, and he could only stop when he no longer had the strength to continue, collapsing with exhaustion.

Isa knelt in the midst of the torn earth, panting hoarsely as he strained to supply air to his burning lungs, his heart pounding so fiercely that it shook his entire body. Slowly, the blood haze receded from his vision as the rage receded back into nothing. The emptiness first to return, Isa's senses slowly came back to him, and he became aware of a presence watching him from within the forest behind him. He turned to look, his neck muscles screaming in pain at the effort of moving as he stared into the darkness, seeing nothing at first until finally he made out two dark silhouettes against the dimly lit forest. His voice caught and croaked in his parch throat as he called to them, "Tell me... What is this?"

A figure stepped forward, the other trailing uncertainly behind him.  
The first was unfamiliar, a calm smile placed confidently on his tanned face. He was covered completely in black, his long hooded cloak parted at his knees to end at his ankles. His hair shined silver in the moonlight, flowing over his shoulders in wild spikes of grey.

"I've been waiting. Tell me... do you remember your true name?"  
"My true-" Isa failed to finish his sentence, the dust from the ground choking his throat and forcing him into a coughing fit. Frustratingly weak, he managed to answer "Isa".  
Even as he said it, the word sounded foreign on his tongue. The man seemed to sense this and smiled.  
"So you've noticed. You're not the same person you were before," he had the voice of a leader, it's clarity cutting through his confusion and focusing his attention, "and with a new person comes a new name. Luckily, yours has already been chosen for you, Saix."  
Saix felt the stranger's stare bore into him, his golden, cat-like eyes free of emotion.  
"I've already explained everything to your friend, and I would be happy to do the same service for you, Saix." He motioned with his head at the figure behind him, a man who hadn't taken his eyes off Saix since he stepped forward.

His resemblance to Lea was uncanny, but oddly, Saix felt no surprise. The night's events had dulled his emotions, and his observations came matter-of-factly. This figure differed from Lea in that his hair was darker, the golden wave now a flame. His face was full of mistrust, and under each eye was a mark the shape of a long teardrop. The moment their eyes met, the Lea lookalike immediately turned away from him.

"I can help you get back what you have lost. Join me, and I will tell you everything you want to know."  
Even as his consciousness lept at the possibility of retrieving his missing piece, the stranger's words quickly reminded him of a similar promise made to him by the king, the memory causing his muscles to tense again, primed for attack. In the face of his mounting anger, the man remained calm.  
"You have no need to worry. We share a common need and platform. Like you, my heart was lost, consumed by the darkness. I have no power over you, nor do I have any emotions. I can feel no greed and have nothing to gain from lying to you. I will not betray you. Together, we will take our hearts back from the darkness, with Kingdom Hearts!"

Saix's consciousness drove him to accept the offer, to take back what was lost and become whole again. But the stranger's promise held great weight. Was he about to fall for the same ploy again? Was he so prone to submission that he'd allow anyone to take control of him? He didn't think he would be able to handle being betrayed again.

Would his heart really be returned to him, or would the chains of loyalty strangle him once again?


	6. Chapter 6- Axel

Lea awoke sprawled out against cold stone with a black sky fully engulfing his vision. Sorely, he stood up, leaning himself against a railing. His sight was hazy, and it took him a moment to realize where he was.

He stood in the center of the white stone bridge that separated the castle and the people of Peaceful Village. Both sides of the bridge were flanked by the mist gathering over the dark water. It rolled over the railing, flowing onto the bridge and hiding the circular shore from view. But while both ends of the bridge were completely submerged, behind the thick wall of fog the castle stood impendingly over the mist.

"Heh. Makes sense he'd die bowing to him."  
The sight of the castle instantly brought back the memories of what had happened inside just before. How long ago had they been killed in the king's chambers? Minutes? Days? The memories were unexpectedly unstimulating; he had been killed in cold blood, yet he felt nothing at the thought, not even irritation at his own apathy. He slammed his fist against the railing. Lea felt like he was incomplete, like there was a gaping hole in his chest left by the sword that had gone through him not so long ago. Though he didn't feel it- it was more like a message. He was incomplete. He was empty.

He sighed, unclenching his fist as he looked into the moonlight. No matter what was missing or not, he should be dead, so how did he get to the bridge?

"It's distressing, isn't it?" at the sound of footsteps, Lea quickly turned around, but he could see nothing through the fog; only hear a deep, even voice hidden behind a curtain of fog, its owner slowly emerging from behind the misty veil. "Or at least, it would be, if you could feel."

"Who's there?!"

Stepping into view, a stranger gave Lea a friendly smile, which Lea returned with a glare.

"It makes sense that you'd be wary right now; no doubt you met a tragic end, as do all who lose their hearts to the darkness." He had an odd way of punctuating the word 'heart' as he spoke, all the while watching Lea's reactions with amusement.  
"I asked who you were and I expect an answer!"  
Despite his demand, the stranger seemed unperturbed, perhaps even pleased.  
"Interesting... You can no longer feel anger, but you're capable of acting it so quickly. You must have had a strong heart indeed..." He saw the confusion on Lea's face and turned to clarify, seemingly with relish. "A strong heart leaves something behind when it is consumed..." He looked straight into Lea's eyes, his own amber and cat-like. His face was dignified and mature, the moon illuminating its rich, hazelnut color. The individual spikes of his silver hair were like shooting starts, streaking down into the hood of his black cloak.  
"As you can probably tell, you are no longer who you once were. Your heart was consumed by the darkness, but it was strong, and it cast away a shell. A Nobody."  
"Hey!" Lea retaliated, "I may not know what's going on, but I'm no nobody!"  
The cloaked man sighed.  
"With a capital N."  
Giving up a bit of his defensive act, Lea moved to stand beside the stranger at the railing.  
"So, Nobodies have no feelings. You're a Nobody as well, I presume?" His head turned, green eyes meeting amber. "You seem rather emotional when you're making your big speeches."  
His smile dropped, face becoming blank.  
"An act, just like your temper." His smile reappeared. "It makes conversation either. Speaking of conversation, I don't think I asked for your name."  
Lea found himself tired of holding the scowl on his face, letting it fall into a small smirk.  
"And I don't remember you telling me yours. Didn't you mother teach you to introduce yourself before asking for someone's name?"  
The was a bit of laughter, albeit fake laughter, on the stranger's face.  
"Oh, excuse me. I am Xemnas. And now... yours?"  
"Lea."  
The moment he spoke, the letters of his name appeared in silver, transparent letters. He stared at them, somewhat mesmerized, as white clouds seemed to drift infinitely across their surface. Xemnas gave one of the letters, and suddenly all the letters were moving, spinning around him, getting faster and faster until they created a ring of white light that blinded him. Suddenly there was a flash, and Xemnas had stopped the letters with a thrust of his hand, jamming a large, golden letter X in between them. As he read them, the letters slowly settled into their new order.  
"Axel."  
Xemnas smiled.  
"That is your new name, Axel. You'd best memorize it."  
Without knowing its meaning, Axel accepted his new name without hesitation. His old name no longer felt right, and he himself didn't feel like the same person he was before, before he realized how despicable and cruel his world could be.  
And with that thought came a realization.  
"What about Isa? He was there too- is he still here? Did he-"  
Xemnas stopped him with a hand, giving him a calm smile.  
"So that was his name."  
Once again, the silver letters appeared. As he started them in motion, Xemnas made quiet conversation.  
"I passed your friend on the way here. Unfortunately, he was quite inconsolable at the moment and I didn't get a chance to approach him." He punched an X at the end of the string of letters. "We can go check on him now, if you'd like." The letters had rearranged themselves to spell Saix. "Although, you might not recognize him."  
Xemnas disappeared behind a veil of mist as he made his way down the bridge in the direction of the village. Axel followed, all the while wondering what Xemnas had meant when he said he wouldn't recognize him and with a sense of dread eerily similar when he was opening that chamber door, wondering if he was too late.

Exiting the bridge, the two Nobodies started to walk along the shore of the moat, veering off the road that led to town. There was less mist here, and Axel could see the rows of trees that made up the Quaint Forest quite clearly against the moonlight. At one point, Axel noticed a commotion that didn't fit in with the calm night atmosphere, becoming increasingly louder as the two traveled further. Soon, the noise sounded only a few feet away, and Axel looked around frantically for its source as he walked.  
"Be careful, you might get hurt."  
Xemnas barred Axel's way forward with his arm, stopping him abruptly.

His posture like an animal, Saix dashed about in the midst of a circle of destruction, moving impossibly fast for any human. His claymore tore apart everything in its wake, terrorizing everything around him. His bright, golden eyes were maddened, shining like headlights in the darkness. He almost looked like the king had back then, but while the king's had contained a mixture of emotions; gaiety, regret, anger, and mania; these contained only hatred- untainted by any other emotions, pure and uncontrollable. His long hair spiked wildly down his back like the bristling fur of a threatened animal.

"Interesting," Xemnas pondered, as if examining the results of an experiment, "I've never seen this type of behavior in a Nobody before. He must have somehow retained some of his emotions. He must have had a strong heart indeed, if a fragment still remains in his shell." He smiled, talking mostly to himself. "I must admit, I envy him. He must feel so alive..."  
Axel looked at him disbelievingly before returning his attention to Saix. The berserking Nobody had fallen to his knees, nothing left around him to destroy. He sat there, panting and pitiful, for a few minutes that felt like forever, before he gingerly turned to look at them.

"Tell me... What is this?" His eyes still glowed with a quickly fading golden light, illuminating his face drenched in what could either be sweat or tears.

Axel winced a little, yet he wasn't surprised to see the resemblance he had to Isa. The differences were subtle, but there. His hair was unbound and had changed shades; from the blue of a night sky to that of the day. His face looked older, his eyes thinner and more mature, and as the light faded from them, Zxel even thought he could see how they had lost their youthful spark that had made him so endearing. What made him wince, however, was the thin scar of an X scratched into Saix's face. Instantly he was in the king's chamber again, finding Isa kneeling dead at his feet, slowly falling into a pile of shattered glass.

"I've been waiting." Xemnas stepped into the moonlight so Saix could see him. Axel watched him hesitantly before stepping in beside him. Did Saix feel the same suspicion he did? Was he betraying him by standing by this stranger's side?  
"Tell me... do you remember your true name?"  
Saix looked up at him with a mixture of confusion and suspicion. "My true-" His question was cut off by a sudden coughing fit. Propped up on his elbows, his whole body shook painfully as he struggled to recover his breath.

Looking at Saix made Axel wonder how much he'd changed. Could Saix even recognize him?

Finally, Saix looked up, trying to seem more determined than he really was. "Isa".  
The name sounded odd in Axel's ears, and he realized that he had accepted Saix's new name as quickly as he had accepted his own. Saix himself looked equally perplexed, a reaction that obviously gave Xemnas great satisfaction.  
"So you've noticed. You're not the same person you were before, and with a new person comes a new name. Luckily, yours has already been chosen for you, Saix." He said the last word with a tone of definity, and he could feel Saix's new name falling into place.  
Suddenly, motion caught his eye as Xemnas cocked his head in Lea's direction.  
"I've already explained everything to your friend, and I would be happy to do the same service for you, Saix."  
Suddenly feeling self-conscious, he couldn't help looking over at Saix, only to discover he was looking right into his eyes, and a sense of guilt made him turn away automatically. Nevertheless, he could feel Saix's stare bore into him.  
So he could recognize him.  
"I can help you get back what you have lost. Join me, and I will tell you everything you want to know."

Turning back to look at him, Axel could see Saix's face instincually harden into a fierce scowl, his dimmed eyes lighting anew as his hair began to stand on end once more.  
If Xemnas was taken aback, he hid it well.  
_Then again, he has no heart,_ Axel reminded himself.  
"You have no need to worry. We share a common need and platform. Like you, my heart was lost, consumed by the darkness. I have no power over you, nor do I have any emotions. I can feel no greed and have nothing to gain from lying to you. I will not betray you. Together, we will take our hearts back from the darkness, with Kingdom Hearts!"

_You may feel no greed, _Axel thought, _but you can't feel guilt either. It'd be nothing for you to betray us._ He cast a glance at Saix. He still looked exhausted. _Still, people weren't meant to live with one emotion, and Xemnas may be the only person that can get back our lost hearts, and if we stay here, the king will find some way of getting rid of for good.  
We both got a second chance. This is the only way Saix can return to normal. And this time, Isa, I'll make sure to protect you._

Axel left Xemnas's side to kneel down beside Saix, draping an armor over his shoulders. Saix looked at him at him, and Axel almost thought he could see a hint of his old personality as he looked at his friend, causing Axel to smile reassuringly.  
His voice was still cracked and dry, but familiar anyhow as he whispered into Axel's ear.  
"Is he trustworthy?"  
"Not a bit. But don't worry." He lifted Saix onto his feet, turning to face Xemnas. "We're in."  
Saix jolted in shock, grabbing Axel by the shoulder to pull him in again.  
"Lea! I thought you said he wasn't trustworthy!"  
"I also said not to worry, didn't I? We'll be fine, promise. I'll protect you." Throwing a smirk at Xemnas, he then added more loudly, "And it's Axel now, got it memorized?" Xemnas nodded his approval, amused.

Saix smiled, relaxing for the first time since his death.  
"Feh, I can see your transformation hasn't changed you one bit. Or has the shock made you forget which of us is the head knight?"  
Axel hid his thoughts behind a mask of amusement, using what he'd learned from Xemnas.

_Just remember this. Just as you feel no guilt, I can feel no loyalty. _


End file.
